Nuremburg is a strange city. There aren’t many people around. Unlike most other cities worldwide, I didn’t see any crowds anywhere, despite the lovely hot weather.
It reminded me of The Truman Show. I stood in a completely deserted town square, then I walked round the corner – and there was a group of people walking towards me. It was just as though a director had called, ‘Action!’The city of Nuremburg has a 3 1/2 mile long city wall around it, with four towers dating back to 1350; one at each corner. They’re known as the Fat Boys.
In the usual German way of not wasting anything, the towers are lived in, and used as studios.
90% of Nuremburg was flattened by American bombs, but a lot of it has been rebuilt in its original form.
The Way of Human Rights is an area with 30 pillars, designed by the Israeli architect, Dani Karavan. There is one article of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on each pillar.
It’s just after the Red Light District, with the Medieval Monastery on the right.
Nuremburg accepts responsibility for the darker side of its history. It was called the City of Party Rallies. But it re-invented itself as the City of Peace and Human Rights.
I realise that Germany’s Nazi era was a terrible time. But I couldn’t help admiring them for admitting their crimes and having to come face to face with the shame every day, and I wonder if Britain has ever admitted to being wrong about anything!
There was no graffiti or litter anywhere. It’s all immaculate.
We crossed over the River Pegnitz, which divides the city in half, and our guide Our guide proudly told us that Nuremburg has 400 crusades a year!
It turned out that she meant cruises, but I prefer the crusades picture!On the left of the bridge was a plaque commemorating a synagogue that was destroyed in August 1938, a few months before the Night of Broken Glass, known as Kristallnacht, when 101 synagogues and 7,500 Jewish businesses were smashed and burnt by gangs of Nazi youths. 26,000 Jews were arrested, and 91 were killed.
On the other side of the bridge was a sign for an Irish bar.
The Holy Spirit Hospital dates from the 1300s. They used to throw all their dressings and rubbish out of the windows and into the river.
At noon, I went to see the mechanical clock and glockenspiel of the Church of Our Lady in the main market square.
A synagogue was destroyed in violent riots in 1349 and the church was built there in 1355.
We all gathered in the square, as crowds have for over 500 years, and waited.
As I watched the trumpeters, piper, flautist, drummer, and the seven Electors spring briefly into life above me, I tried to imagine what the Medieval audience would have made of it. They must have been absolutely fascinated. We were completely gripped by the sight, even in our modern world. It really is a mechanical marvel. Let’s hope that it continues to work for at least another 500 years!
Also in the square is the Beautiful Fountain, dating from 1385. It resembles a Gothic spire. In the surrounding railing is a gold ring that supposedly grants your wish if you silently twist it three times and make a wish.
I twiddled a similar ring in Hanover, but my wish hasn’t been granted yet, so I had another twiddle for luck.Over the other side of the square is a modern statue called the Ship of Fools. It’s very noticeable, and absolutely hideous!
Nuremburg has sculptures everywhere. Some are good, some aren’t. But they’re interesting to see.
Nuremburg’s famous Christmas Market is held in the square.
Our lovely guide, a well-endowed lady, effortlessly trotted up the hill in the strong afternoon heat, with us huffing and puffing along behind her, trying to keep up.
There are some quirky shops in the city.
On the edge of the Market Square is a Gingerbread Bakery. At the end of August, many small bakeries start baking the traditional winter gingerbread by hand.
Along the road is the Kathe Wohlfahrt Christmas shop. It has been open 365 days a year for over 45 years, selling traditional German Christmas decorations.
The workmanship is excellent, but it’s way above my Pound Shop Christmas price range.
I was shown over 100 different types of mustard in Der Senfladen, and tasted quite a lot. Delicious. Something for everyone!
Nearly next door is Das Schmuckzimmer; Nuremburg’s smallest shop.
They sell mainly jewellery. Only a couple of customers are allowed in at once, as there’s no room for any more.Down the road is a Puppenmacherin; a doll maker. Her medieval shop wasn’t much bigger than the Schmuckzimmer. She sat proudly surrounded by dolls, clothes and accessories.
Outside the shop was a table with large dolls sitting round it.
I had the feeling that if I’d tried to purchase some of the dolls grouped outside, she would have limited the number I could buy, or just burst into tears – or hunted me down, like the horror film Chucky!
There are signs of Albrecht Durer everywhere. I must admit that I’d never heard of him. He was Germany’s greatest painter and graphic artist, and lived from 1471-1528. I visited his house. Then I had a ride in a velotaxi; a bike with room for two passengers. The drivers work very hard, pedalling up and down the hills. (Cor, nice thighs!)
They dropped us at St John’s Cemetery.
The 750-year-old graveyard has over 6,000 tombs. Again, in the German practical way, they all have owners. Fresh air destroys the bodies within 10 years, so the tombs will never be full. But I’m not sure what they’ll do when they run out of space for plaques on the outside.
It’s a beautiful place, bursting with floral displays, and neatly laid out.
Albrecht Durer’s tomb is there.Unfortunately, and embarrassingly, the weather was red-hot, so we had to admit defeat, and gave up on our tour round the graveyard. I
On the way out, we passed a red squirrel, watching us from a tree.
After a cold drink I caught a tram back to the hotel.
I would have liked to have spent more time in Nuremburg. It’s a very interesting city, with absolutely loads to see and do.
There are museums to suit everyone. And there is as much to see underground as there is above! Tours are available in ancient tunnels everywhere.
Something that I loved was taking shortcuts, walking along alleyways, across courtyards, up steps, and out onto the street again. It’s allowed and encouraged. Great fun!
I ate in the world’s oldest sausage producers’ restaurant. They’re traditionally served on pewter plates, preferably with sauerkraut and potatoes. Six sausages each!
As there are plenty of restaurants to suit every budget, with a choice of locally produced beers and wines, the social life never stops.
But I’d love to know the secret of the locals’ health and fitness. Is it the sausages, or the beer? I never did find out!

About Lyn

LYN FUNNELL CV (well, sort of!)
Lyn had very successful careers as an Air Hostess, Sales Rep, (she was one of only a couple of women. She beat all the men regularly, becoming the Top Rep in the UK, and 2nd in the world.) And then Catering took over. She did everything from the washing-up, to Silver Service Waitress, and Chef.
A few times, she had to cook the meal, dash round the other side and Silver Serve it!
In between all this, she wrote as often as she could, building up a reputation as a published short story writer, (Horror and a twist in the tale,) and a Poet.
She has appeared as a Performing Poet, and a Demo Chef.
Then she discovered the world of the Food & Travel Writer. And that’s what she has continued doing to this day.
Her main hobbies are Cookery and entering Competitions. She has won many prizes, including holidays and a moped.
She enjoys entering Competitions, submitting her original recipes. She was first in many Competitions, including the Good Housekeeping Millenium Menu, Fruits of France, Bernard Matthews Turkey Recipe, and appeared on BBC’s The One Show Spag Bol contest. She was one of three Finalists, coming 2nd, which makes her Britain’s Spag Bol Queen!
Now she runs B-C-ing-U! and loves it!
After several years of being messed around by Editors, and having loads of contacts, Lyn formed her own online Magazine, vowing to treat her writers fairly, and to do everything possible to further their careers, publicise their books, etc.
She now has a band of excellent regular writers, and the Magazine’s going from strength to strength!
Lyn’s online published books;
Adverse Camber
A collection of my published poems.
The First Book of Short Stories
The Second Book of Short Stories
The Third Book of Short Stories.
Many of these stories have been previously published.
St Anthony of Padua.
The Patron St of the Old.
A story of one woman’s terrible ordeal in a Home, and her family’s rescue of her.
The Girl Who Watched.
A Cuban girl is attacked by an English journalist & what follows!
Willy the Whizz & the Wormhole.
Suitable for Young Adults, aged 15-95!
Get Out Of Debt And Stay Out – Forever!
Unsympathetic, hard-hitting, realistic solutions to your problems.
All these books are published by Andrews UK Ltd
www.andrewsuk.com
No, I didn’t pay them to Vanity Publish!
They’re all available from Amazon, and many other online publishers.
LYN FUNNELL.

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